Volvo's Self-Driving Cars Passing Driving Tests

Volvo Car Group’s automated driving project, "Drive Me," is making progress, with 100 self-driving vehicles on public roads in everyday driving conditions. The first test cars are rolling around the Swedish city of Gothenburg. Volvo reports that the Autopilot technology is performing well.

At the present stage, the test cars are able to handle lane following, speed adaption, and merging traffic autonomously. This is regarded as an important step towards the goal that the "Drive Me" cars eventually will be able to drive the whole test route in highly autonomous mode.

The unique feature of the project is that it involves all the key players: legislators, transport authorities, a major city, a vehicle manufacturer, and real-world customers instead of specifically trained test drivers. The customers will drive the 100 cars under everyday driving conditions on approximately 50 kilometers of selected roads in and around Gothenburg. These roads are typical commuter arteries, including motorway conditions and frequent queues.

"Drive Me -- Self-driving cars for sustainable mobility," is a joint initiative between Volvo Car Group, the Swedish Transport Administration, the Swedish Transport Agency, Lindholmen Science Park, and the City of Gothenburg. The Swedish Government is endorsing the project.

The project is designed to provide insight into the societal benefits of making autonomous vehicles a natural part of the traffic environment. Unlike in other autonomous driving pilot projects, a broad societal approach is vital to offering sustainable personal mobility in the future. "This unique cross-functional co-operation is the key to a successful implementation of self-driving vehicles," says Erik Coelingh, technical specialist at Volvo Car Group.

My worry is that my car at the present moment nags me about all the thnigs I have done or not done.

With the self driving car I can see the point at which the on board computer says in a Hall like voice "I have decide that you no longer desreve me" and pushes me out the door at the legal speed limit.

Will the self drive car be suitable for driver training? Police persuit? Villans?

As a caravan tower, will the self drive car be able to compensate for a trailer twice the length of the car?

My concern isn't so much with the self driving car just off the assembly line, but what about 6 months plus down the road when a sensor fails in such a way that the system cannot detect it? Let's face it, when something as simple as an ignition switch, floor mat or gas pedal can cause a failure and recall, what makes anyone think that a self driving car will not need a weekly or at least monthly inspection?

I'd love to know how a self driving car performs from the viewpoint of a Registry of Motor Vehicles driver's license tester. If the route were mapped out in advance, what comments and grade would the instructor give and why? If a human pretended to be driving, how would the instructor grade them?

I recently encountered a google self driving car with two passengers, one in the drivers seat of course. It took all the self control I could muster to not get in front of it and slam on my brakes! I do wonder how well it would do. I would think that it should be possible to respond faster than a person. However, would the Google car recognize the devious look on my face as I pulled in front of it?